


There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

by Toomanyfandoms99



Series: (No Longer A) Secret Marriage [40]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Greek Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Moondoor (Supernatural), Secret Marriage, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-24 22:08:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16184147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toomanyfandoms99/pseuds/Toomanyfandoms99
Summary: While Dean waited for Cas to return home, he figured out how to blast music in their cabin.  He cued up some of his favorite rock songs and started dancing.  Horribly.While lip syncing like a dork.Dean got so lost in his party for one that he didn’t hear the door open.He just heard a loud peal of laughter, Cas clutching his stomach, bent over and face flushed with mirth.





	There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not good at writing endings...

Dean and Castiel approached Sam and Gabriel’s Heaven. Dean gave the mansion front door three swift knocks.

Sam and Gabriel appeared in the doorway.

“We have a surprise for you,” Dean said.

Gabriel and Sam looked at the couple curiously. 

Castiel whistled. A brown Labrador retriever came into view.

“Soda!” Sam exclaimed.

“My baby!” Gabriel exclaimed, kneeling down at the mansion front porch and hugging a happy Soda. “How are you, bud? Good?” In answer, Soda wagged his tail and panted excitedly. “Good.”

“You’ve been taking care of him?” Sam asked.

“Yes,” Cas said, “but I think he’s bored of our Heaven.”

Sam said to a still-preoccupied Gabriel, “I didn’t know there were celestial dogs.”

“There’s a section in Heaven for pets,” Gabriel said, looking up at Sam from his crouched position. He murmured to Soda, “right, bud?” Soda nosed Gabriel’s hand in answer. “Right.” Gabriel pet Soda’s head.

“Thanks for taking care of him,” Sam said.

“Thanks for bringing my baby back,” Gabriel said.

Dean and Cas chuckled.

————

“How’d things with John go?” Dean asked Sam.

Sam sighed, shifting in his seat. “I’m still in shock that he’s being decent, and everything.” A beat. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t here to-”

“There wasn’t much you could’ve done. Besides, I had Cas.”

Sam twiddled his thumbs. “What does he think of Cas, anyway?”

Dean read between the lines. “Are you concerned about what he thinks about Gabriel?”

Sam bit the inside of his cheek, releasing slowly. “If this were high school, Cas would be the teacher’s pet, with some troublemaking tendencies. Perfect to bring home. But Gabe…”

“He would either be an outcast or the goofy class clown,” Dean finished. “Or both, somehow.”

“Both, somehow,” Sam decided, a half-smile reaching his features.

Dean capitalized on the muscle memory. “That,” he motioned to his own smile, “is exactly why you shouldn’t worry. For some reason, you still love Gabriel, the fucking punk.”

Sam laughed. “It doesn’t make sense. I know.”

“The fact you still smile when you think about him,” Dean said, “is gonna be proof enough to our father that Gabriel is something special. And oh,” he said jokingly, “he’s special, alright.”

Sam threw a couch pillow at Dean. “Shut up, jerk.”

“Bitch.”

————

“How did it go with John?” Castiel asked Gabriel.

“Well,” Gabriel said, “I think I got his attention.”

“His curiosity.”

“Yes.” Gabriel pursed his lips. He voiced, “he did try to psychoanalyze me a little, though.”

Cas was instantly concerned. “What did he say, exactly?”

“He just said,” Gabriel swallowed, “that he could see I’ve been through a lot. More than anyone else.”

“You have,” Cas said grimly. “It’s a wonder you’re here in one piece, Gabe. I wouldn’t have lasted in isolation nearly as long as you did.”

“That’s not true. You’re stronger than me.”

“And you’re stronger than you realize,” Cas countered resolutely. “This,” Castiel gestured around Gabriel’s shared Heaven with Sam, “is a testament to that.”

————

Sam laughed uproariously once he saw Dean’s tattoo.

On Dean’s left wrist was a tattoo of the word “Cas” inked in Dean’s own handwriting. Cas had the same one inscribed with Dean’s name instead.

“It was cute when Cas did it,” Sam said between laughs, “but come on, man. That’s just,” Sam chuckled.

Dean narrowed his eyes, giving his younger brother a feigned look of death. “Don’t you have tattoos?”

Sam lifted his leg, his foot propped on the chair, and rolled up a pant leg. Above his ankle was an anti-possession tattoo. “Yeah. So? Mine’s cool.”

Dean snorted, unconvinced. “Okay, then.”

Taking it as a challenge, Gabriel copied Sam’s movements. Gabriel revealed a tattoo of an angel wing wrapped around his lower leg. “Mine’s cooler.”

Dean examined the tattoo carefully. He didn’t want to say it, but-

“Yours is cooler,” Dean admitted.

Gabriel grinned, Cas snorting at the table’s antics. “Thanks, Dean.”

————

Sam sat in the passenger’s seat of the Impala, Dean driving him who knows where. Suddenly, Dean made a familiar song start on the radio.

Sam rolled his eyes as Dean sang the first verse with all of his energy and enthusiasm.

He forgot that his older brother was a complete dork.

“Sing it with me, Sammy!”

“No!”

“Yes! Sing it!”

The song reached the chorus.

Dean shouted, “I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride! I’m wanted!” He pointed to Sam.

Sam huffed out, “wanted.”

“DEAD OR ALIVE!”

Sam chuckled as Dean scream-sang the lyrics, chiming in occasionally after Dean’s constant ribbing between verses.

————

Dean loves coming to Bobby’s Heaven for one express reason: the junkyard.

He found his family — Bobby, Mary, Jody, Donna, Ellen, Jo, and Charlie, with John absent — already there, for whatever reason. Dean said his hellos and went to work fixing a car.

The group soon gathered near Dean, but he focused on his tasks. He played Black Sabbath on the radio and lost himself in his work.

Charlie then approached Dean while he was underneath the hood of a car. “Hi, big bro.”

Dean said absentmindedly, “hello, weird sister.”

Charlie kicked Dean’s leg. “Rude.”

Dean scowled and revealed his dirty face to Charlie’s scrutiny. “What is it?”

Bobby’s voice was gruff off to Dean’s left. “Where’s yer better half?”

Donna and Ellen emitted matching sniggers.

Dean ignored them. “With his brothers.”

“Where’s yours?” Bobby asked.

“Dunno.”

“I heard,” Jo piped up, “he’s at the library.”

“Breaking news,” Dean quipped.

“You seem kinda down,” Mary observed. “You okay, Dean?”

“That’s just my face,” Dean said. “I’m good, Mom.”

“He’s does have a natural brooding face,” Jody muttered.

The family chuckled as Dean got back to work.

————

“We’re finally all together again,” Balthazar mused.

Across from him in his office was Castiel, Gabriel, and Jack.

“Never thought you’d see the day where I lived longest, huh?” Gabriel teased.

“Shut up,” Balthazar said.

“He’s gonna lord this over us forever,” Cas muttered.

“Literally,” Balthazar said with a groan.

“You’re acting like children,” Gabriel said. He gathered Jack in his arms. “Not in front of the child.”

Jack snorted. “I’m an adult, Gabriel.”

“You’ll always be our baby neph,” Balthazar said fondly. He turned to Cas. “Right, baby seraph?”

Cas snorted. “I’m regretting this visit already.”

“That’s hurtful, Dad,” Jack said playfully.

Castiel sighed. “I don’t mean you, Jack.” The nephilim left Gabriel’s embrace, and went into Cas’s instead. “You’re my favorite person to see.”

“Rude!” Gabriel exclaimed.

“Anyway,” Balthazar segued, “let’s begin the betting pool.” 

He materialized a white board. The title of the T-chart was ‘Who Will Die Last?’ The top column listed the names: ‘Claire,’ ‘Kaia,’ ‘Alex,’ and ‘Patience.’

Balthazar asked, “which of the wayward sisters do you think will arrive in Heaven last?” He uncapped a white board marker and said, “I’m just gonna say it.” 

He placed his tally mark on the column labeled ‘Claire.’ Balthazar raised his eyebrows, expecting immediate contention.

He got none.

“I’m flattered you chose my daughter,” Cas said, “but I think she’ll want to die with Kaia. I choose,” he paused dramatically, “Patience.”

Balthazar hummed and placed the tally mark in Patience’s column. “Interesting. Jack?”

“I choose Alex,” Jack said without explanation.

Balthazar placed a mark in Alex’s column. “Gabe?”

“I’m going with Kaia,” Gabriel said.

Balthazar put down the tally mark and oohed. “This is gonna be an interesting one, folks.”

————

While Dean waited for Cas to return home, he figured out how to blast music in their cabin. He cued up some of his favorite rock songs and started dancing. Horribly.

While lip syncing like a dork.

Dean got so lost in his party for one that he didn’t hear the door open.

He just heard a loud peal of laughter, Cas clutching his stomach, bent over and face flushed with mirth.

Dean halted and turned the volume down, Cas’s laughter forming a melody in the living room. Cas was so caught up in it that it took him a long moment to wipe his tears and tame his giant grin.

The entire time, Dean was torn between being embarrassed and flattered.

Cas didn’t laugh like that often.

It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

Cas leaned against the closed door, taking a steady breath to calm himself from his fit. His eyes sparkled, his smile wide.

Dean sputtered. “I-I um, it um. It’s not, um, what it looks like.”

Yes it was.

Cas budged from his position against the door and switched the music to a slow song. The first piano notes played, and Cas offered a hand. “Dance with me.”

Taking a beat to comprehend the request, Dean took Cas’s hand lightly. Cas lead them as they swayed, their bodies molding together.

“I was impressed by your mating dance.”

Dean scoffed. “That wasn’t a mating dance.”

“Indigenous cultures would disagree,” Cas informed him.

Dean tilted his head a little to examine Cas’s profile. “Are you being serious?”

“Mhm.”

Dean chuckled, tucking his chin onto Cas’s shoulder as they swayed. “I’m glad you saw it, then.”

“Me too.” A chuckle rumbled out of Cas’s chest. “I don’t think anyone else would have liked it, though.”

“Hey!”

They weren’t dancing anymore; they were just holding one another now, in what was probably an awkward-looking embrace. A strange type of hug, but something more intimate mixed into it.

Cas chuckled again. “At least you got me. Questionable dancing aside.”

“Hey!”

“I didn’t say I hated it. I said I was impressed.”

Dean smiled. “You’re the only one that’s said that about my dancing before.”

“It’s because I like you, you dork.”

“You more than like me, you nerd,” Dean retorted.

“Yeah,” Cas said softly, echoing the tone Dean used when he expressed the same awestruck feeling.

Dean pulled them from their embrace, turning the music off. Their eyes met. 

Dean murmured, “at least my dancing attracted the best mate I could ask for.”

Cas snorted. “You’re so cheesy.” He blinked. “I want pizza with lots of cheese all of a sudden.”

Dean laughed, realizing that it was late and they should eat. It wasn’t like they needed to, but it was routine. “A big cheese pizza coming right up.”

————

“It’s lonely here without Soda,” Dean whined.

Cas snorted. “I’ll try not to take that personally.”

A beat. “That’s not what I-”

“I know what you mean.” Cas rustled closer to Dean in bed. “Relax.”

Dean exhaled deeply through his nose. He gathered Cas in his arms, skin against skin. He inhaled Cas’s heady scent. “You’re right, darlin’. I’m glad Soda’s back with Sammy and Gabriel.”

Cas’s hum reverberated between their bodies. “It’ll be an adjustment. But look on the bright side,” Cas breathed into Dean’s neck, “you have a group of angel babies to love too.”

Dean smiled softly at the thought of the angel children being raised in Heaven’s headquarters. “I wanna see them again.” He confessed, “my heart felt full, just looking at them.”

“I’ve told you before,” Cas said, “I can’t possibly monopolize all the love your heart contains. It’s one of the hundreds of reasons I love you.”

“Only hundreds?”

Cas huffed out a laugh, the burst of air tickling Dean’s throat. “Thousands.”

Dean said into Cas’s hair, “only thousands?”

“Millions.”

“Only millions?”

“Billions.”

“Only billions?”

“Trillions.”

“Only trillions?”

“Quadrillions.”

Dean teased, “no infinity?”

Cas readjusted so their heads were tilted a half-inch apart. He breathed, “one of the infinite reasons that I love you.”

Dean captured Cas’s lips in his, satisfied.

————

Gabriel found Sam where he left him that morning: in a secluded part of Heaven’s library, sitting on a comfortable armchair.

“You can take some home and read them there, you know,” Gabriel said pointedly.

Sam tore his hazy eyes away from the book in the Supernatural series he was currently on.

Gabriel had finished the Winchester Gospels before he died, adding dozens and dozens of novels to Chuck’s original pile. Sam had taken it upon himself to read every single book.

Sam said, “they shouldn’t make these chairs so damn comfortable, then.”

Gabriel noted that Sam was on ‘LARP and the Real Girl.’ He said, “that was one of my favorites to write.”

Sam looked up at Gabriel with interest. “Yeah?”

“If was also one of the easiest to write, since I’ve been to Moondoor and everything.”

Sam smiled bittersweetly at the memories Moondoor brought up. He stuck a bookmark in his page and stood up. “I’ll bring some home, okay?”

Gabriel nodded. “Let’s check on Soda, huh?”

“Alright.”

————

Castiel took Dean to the concert cube fairly regularly.

Whenever one of Dean’s favorite bands played, they would attend. The couple would end up screaming the lyrics and dancing and kissing like teenagers.

They would pass out in their bed afterwards, the sound of loud drums and guitars making their heads throb invitingly. They held each other as the sounds ebbed and flowed in their minds, eventually succumbing to sleep.

————

The amount of rooms Sam and Gabriel’s mansion had was ridiculous.

While Sam read, Gabriel would wander the grounds with Soda when he wasn’t up for venturing. He would swim leisurely in the in-ground pool, watch television in one of the living rooms, play piano in the music room, and create shrub structures in the backyard.

He wasn’t one for flowers like Cas, but he liked making designs in hedges. Sam laughed uncontrollably when he found a hedge trimmed in the shape of Soda.

The time Sam spent reading books was made up for at night, when he took Gabriel to bed. Sam ravished him until Gabriel’s toes curled in pleasure and he babbled in Enochian. For Gabriel, that was enough.

————

“I love you in a Stetson,” Dean drawled.

He was currently in the Wild West cube with Cas. They sat in the back booth of a simulated saloon, wearing standard cowboy garb. 

Cas tipped his Stetson hat flirtatiously. “You love me in a lot of things.”

A grin dominated Dean’s features. “You bet, darlin’.”

The saloon doors opened, revealing Bobby in a cowboy outfit. Dean and Cas stared open-mouthed as Bobby went to the bar and tipped his cowboy hat in greeting to the simulated bartender.

Dean and Cas locked eyes, and burst out laughing as quietly as they could manage. 

“Boys?”

The couple’s eyes widened, their laughs ceasing. They made the silent decision to feign surprise. They both looked at Bobby shadowing their table with false curiosity.

“Hey, Bobby,” Dean said gruffly. “What’s up?”

“Nothin’,” Bobby said. “What about you?”

“Nothin’,” Dean repeated.

“Figures you’d know about this place,” Bobby said, plopping in the booth beside Dean without asking. “So what’s the deal with your brothers?”

“What deal?” Cas piped up confusedly.

“I hardly see them,” Bobby said. “Hardly any of us do.”

It was true. Sam and Gabriel remained quite elusive, only appearing for short periods of time before taking leave.

“I don’t know,” Cas said. “Maybe they just want space from us.”

“Not all couples are like us,” Dean said, motioning to the space between him and Cas.

“They hid from us for a month,” Bobby reminded them. “It just bothers me, that’s all.”

“Try not to worry. Not everything needs to be rushed,” Dean said. He realized, “I sounded like Cas for a second. Shit.”

Cas chuckled and took a swig of his untouched beer.

Bobby sighed. “Idjits.”

————

Sam found Gabriel watching a movie with Soda in one of their living rooms. He plopped next to Gabriel without hesitation, taking up the remaining space on the couch. Soda sniffed him from Gabriel’s opposite side as a greeting.

Gabriel said boredly, “hey.”

Sam tangled his hand in Gabriel’s hair, combing it absentmindedly. “Hey. I have a question.”

Gabriel exhaled, “what?”

Sam sensed Gabriel’s grumpiness, but chose not to say anything. He knew this reading project of his wasn’t something that exactly pleased Gabriel. “Your pen name,” Sam prompted.

Gabriel looked ready to say something, but stared at his lap and allowed Sam to speak.

“I checked the date printed on the first book. You started writing these before I even proposed to you,” a smile reached his lips, “but you published under the name Gabriel Winchester. So my question is,” Sam tilted Gabriel’s head to the side, untangling his fingers from Gabriel’s hair, “did you know due to some supernatural force that I was going to marry you,” Gabriel looked up at Sam through his eyelashes, giving Sam a burst of desire, “or were you just extremely confident that I would propose?”

Soda’s sudden snores and the television playing in the background were the only sounds in the room for a long moment.

Then, Gabriel said lowly, “the second one.”

Sam grinned, a little laugh spilling from his lips. “I’m not used to seeing such confidence in you.”

Gabriel remained a tad moody, not quite playing along. “It comes and goes, I suppose.”

Sam’s lips turned lopsided. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”

Sam revealed what would cheer his husband up. “I finished them.”

Gabriel tilted his head up, his eyes boring into Sam’s. He asked doubtfully, “did you really?”

“I’m sorry I got...caught up in things. I know that it bothers you, but you know I’m not perfect. It’s over now, though. I’m sorry.”

Gabriel distracted himself by dragging his fingers across Soda’s fur. Sam waited patiently.

A moment later, Gabriel exhaled deeply. “Okay.” He flicked off the television with a wave of his hand. “Thank you for acknowledging that.”

“I wanna draw you,” Sam blurted out.

Sam’s mouth spoke up before his mind did, but Sam realized that Gabriel was positively alluring. A window providing side lighting for Gabriel’s sharp profile bathed his skin in a soft sunset, contrasting the grayness. He was curled up on the couch, allowing the orange and yellow and red and pink from the window to play across his face in shafts. He wore an oversized brown sweater — a callback to Sam’s hoodie — that swallowed his form, matching Soda’s fur.

Gabriel’s whiskey eyes were highlighted by a shaft of yellow sunset. His lips upturned in a tentative smile as he observed Sam. “Do I really look nice?”

Sam nodded, glad that Gabriel could decipher his codes. “More than nice,” he replied softly. He decided to throw in, “you’re a lovely writer, too.”

Surprise crossed Gabriel’s features. “No critiques?”

Sam shook his head. “Your descriptions of me are,” he thanked the darkness for concealing his heated blush, “very flattering.”

Gabriel chuckled softly. “You can draw me, sweetheart.”

Sam materialized a sketchbook and pencil. Before he got started, he said, “I’ve been kicking myself because I didn’t have these when you were in the bathtub.”

Gabriel worried his bottom lip. “You wanted to draw nudes?” He threw his head back and laughed. “Let’s settle on this drawing first, okay?”

Sam flipped open to a blank page. “Okay.”

————

Kevin’s Heaven was a copy of his childhood home. No one had ever set foot inside except Dean and Sam, when they took Kevin under their wing.

A young Kevin greeted the family warmly upon them showing up on his doorstep. He met Mary, who he was charmed by.

They all caught up on events on Earth and in Heaven. Charlie and Castiel then took Kevin away to talk about “nerd things.”

The nerd trio was back, and Castiel had a surprise for his two best friends.

————

“Holy shitsticks,” Charlie said upon seeing the simulation of Moondoor Castiel had been working on.

“Amazing,” Kevin said in disbelief. “You’re the coolest, Cas.”

“Where would you like to start?” Cas asked.

Charlie and Kevin had a silent conversation.

Kevin said, “the beginning.”

————

Castiel, Charlie, and Kevin spent an entire day in the Moondoor simulation. 

They started as low-level players, and worked their way up. From rags to riches.

Charlie was crowned queen, Castiel was her knight, and Kevin was her squire. Just as it was before, and so it shall always be.

————

Castiel didn’t know how he found himself in his situation.

Oh, wait. Yes he did.

Charlie.

It was a nice game of Moondoor, with Dean and Jack joining the nerd trio for this particular adventure.

Then, Charlie decided to edit the game and create a giant gate to block their path. With a bright grin, she declared that it was a kissing gate. Meeting Dean and Cas’s unimpressed gazes, Charlie said, “my knights must share a five-second kiss in order for the gate to open and for the monster to be slain.” Looking far too pleased with herself, Charlie clapped her hands and observed the couple with excited anticipation.

Dean and Castiel shared a look, hearing Kevin and Jack snigger. Then, Cas asked Charlie, “why do I put up with you, again?”

Charlie replied, “because we’re the bestest friends ever.” She clapped again, her hands making a boom motion. “Now kiss!”

Castiel narrowed his eyes and faced his husband, who shrugged indifferently.

Dean probably wanted to make out in public, the lovable idiot.

“Kiss,” Charlie hissed.

“Kiss, kiss, kiss,” Kevin chanted, Charlie and Jack joining in.

Cas sighed, rolled his eyes, and strode the short distance towards Dean. His blond eyelashes fluttered bashfully and his freckled cheeks became incredibly defined in a sudden burst of sunlight. Cas refused to be taken aback by Dean’s flashes of beauty. He was supposed to be angry at this silly arrangement, dammit.

Castiel thumbed Dean’s jaw and captured his lips in a heated kiss. One, two, three, four, five. Cas pried his lips away when the din of cheers grew especially loud, the sound of a gate screeching open indicating that it worked.

Cas left the embrace he’d created abruptly, Dean’s pleasure at the indecency of the kiss rolling off him in waves. 

While Castiel returned to his Moondoor script, he whirled around and winked at a stammering Dean.

————

Mary, Ellen, Jody, Donna, John, and Bobby found Sam and Gabriel’s mansion door unlocked.

In the main chamber of the mansion was a giant leaderboard. The names on the board were: Dean, Cas, Gabe, Sam, Jo, Charlie, Kevin, and Jack. 

They seemed to be playing a game. The board counted three strikes by each name. The group deduced that it was a three-strikes-and-you’re-out type of game. So far, Jo and Jack had struck out. Gabriel and Dean had two strikes each. Sam and Kevin had one strike each. 

And the two players who had no strikes? Castiel and Charlie. 

The group observing the leaderboard wasn’t surprised at all. 

Suddenly, Jo and Jack appeared from a side door. They looked at the group in shock.

“Hi,” Jo said. “What’re you all doing here?”

“What’s goin’ on?” Bobby asked, deflecting from Jo’s question.

Before Jo could answer, Dean barreled down the stairs to the left. He wore a vest strapped around his flannel and carried a fake gun. As he went down the long staircase stealthily, he waved his hand to click the door closed from the second floor.

Dean looked like a deer caught in headlights when he saw the group gathered in the main chamber. He recovered at the count of three. “Oh. Hi.”

“Dean,” John greeted awkwardly.

Despite being in Heaven for quite a long time, John was still an outsider in the family. 

“What kinda game is this?” Bobby spoke up.

“A crazy version of laser tag,” Dean said. “We’re apparently all children here.” Dean noticed Jack and gathered the nephilim into his arms with zero explanation. “Hey, kiddo. You doing okay?”

Jack huffed. “Fine, Dad.”

“Any cuts?”

“No.”

“Bruises?”

“This is laser tag, Dad.”

Dean pulled away at last. “Okay. Just checking.”

The group heard loud footsteps from behind the side door to the right. 

Dean stiffened. He whispered, “I gotta go. I’m not gettin’ struck out until I get my husband out first.”

“How optimistic,” Jo said, clapping Dean’s shoulder. “He’s gonna get you first.”

Dean said, offended, “thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Dean heard the side door click open, and he dashed behind the opposite door.

Kevin appeared from behind the right door. Not paying attention to the group gawking, he asked Jo, “who was just here?”

“Dean,” Jo replied.

A wide grin reached Kevin’s face. “I’ll get him.”

“Before you do,” Jo said, motioning to John, “this is John Winchester.”

Kevin eyed John curiously. “Dean and Sam’s father?” John nodded, and they shook hands. “I’m Kevin Tran, former prophet of God.”

At John’s perplexed look, Ellen said, “Kev’s not kidding.”

“Visions and stuff,” Kevin half-explained. “Anyway, I can’t let Dean get too far.” On his way towards the side door, he said, “nice seeing you guys.”

Just then, Kevin got his second strike.

“Aw, man,” Jo whined. “I was rooting for him.”

Seconds later, Dean struck out.

Jo laughed. “Yes!”

Dean came into the room without his vest and laser gun a moment later. He shuffled in doing his best pout, his head hung low.

“Don’t be a baby,” Jo said, unimpressed.

“You know what the worst part of this is?” Dean revealed sadly, “Gabe struck me out.”

Jo and Jack laughed so loud the chamber echoed.

Their fits were cut off when Sam came strolling down the right staircase. He halted at the bottom of the stairs, wide-eyed at the gathering in his front room. “Oh. Hi,” he said, repeating Dean’s response unknowingly. “What’s up?”

“We just wanted to say hi,” Bobby said gruffly.

“Oh. Okay. Feel free to, um, stick around. The game’s half over.” Sam raised an eyebrow upon seeing Dean. “You got out?”

“Yup,” Dean managed.

“It was Gabriel,” Jo offered with a grin.

Sam broke into a laughing fit. The sound was so rare and lovely that it took everyone aback. Unaware of everyone’s reactions, Sam clapped Dean’s shoulder in the same manner as Jo did earlier. “That’s too bad.” Sam pulled Dean into a purposefully crushing bear hug. “Poor baby.”

“Shuddup,” Dean protested weakly.

Sam let go a moment later when he heard footsteps coming from upstairs. 

Then, the leaderboard revealed that Gabriel struck out.

Sam looked at Dean and said, “you’ve been avenged, I guess.”

The upstairs door creaked open.

Sam said, “I gotta go.” He went down the hallway between both staircases and disappeared down the left corridor.

The door revealed Castiel, who seemed nonplussed at the crowd standing around the main chamber. He honed in on Dean and said breathlessly, “you’ve been avenged.” Dean didn’t even comprehend it, because then Cas waved a quick hello and goodbye to the audience. He went through the opposite side door.

When the door closed, Dean’s eyes widened in realization.

Cas struck his own brother out because Gabriel struck Dean out. Vengeance. Just desserts. For Dean’s honor.

Dean felt warm. He was probably flustered. He cleared his throat, realizing he was being watched by his family. Even John looked amused.

Dean composed himself and said evenly, “what? He’s just in the zone.”

As if proving his point, Kevin struck out, swiftly followed by Charlie receiving her first strike.

Dean motioned to the leaderboard. “Yup. He’s even going after his friends. In the zone.”

Gabriel and Kevin appeared from the right side door a moment later. They ended their amiable chat, then said hello. Gabriel, concealing his surprise, greeted everyone warmly. It was clear that he was the truly gracious host between the couple.

“Who do you think is gonna win here?” Kevin asked Gabriel, examining the leaderboard. Only Charlie, Castiel, and Sam were left in the game.

“Cassie,” Gabriel answered.

Kevin and a few members of the group snickered. 

Kevin asked curiously, “not Sam?”

“Cassie’s on a warpath,” Gabriel observed.

The group swiveled heads between Dean and Gabriel. Their statements about Cas were notably similar.

Then, Charlie received her second strike. Seconds later, Sam struck out on the leaderboard.

A moment elapsed in contemplating silence.

“Oh, boy,” Gabriel commented.

“This just got interesting,” Kevin said.

“On the contrary,” Sam said, appearing from the right side door, free of the vest and laser gun. His eyes slid over to Gabriel, then settled on the leaderboard. “Cas clearly won.”

“There’s about to be a real Mexican standoff,” Jo said. She tacked on flippantly, “or Charlie will surrender eventually.” 

A few minutes passed, and Charlie struck out.

“Surrender,” Jo confirmed.

Another few minutes elapsed. Then, Castiel and Charlie appeared from the left side door, laughing like they weren’t just in a competition.

True friendship.

The entire family gathered together and had a feast-sized dinner, Soda trailing underneath the table.

John observed the entire spectacle, and realized how glad he was that his sons were happy.

————

Leaves crunched under Dean’s boots as he entered his shared cabin with Cas. Darkness had fallen over their Heaven in a hurry. 

A soft light from inside the cabin spilled out into the night air. Dean and Cas walked into it, shutting the door behind them.

“That was fun,” Dean said in disbelief.

A small smile reached Cas’s lips. His voice was contemplative and hushed as he said, “it really was.”

“My father,” Dean said, “is really getting along with everyone.”

Cas faced Dean, slipping off his peacoat and making it disappear. “Maybe you got some of your charm from him.”

Dean snorted. “I dunno if I’d go that far.”

“You’re half him,” Cas reminded him, looping his arms around Dean’s neck, “whether you like it or not.”

Dean hummed in consideration. “Let’s not talk about my father anymore.” Dean pulled Cas closer. “Thank you for avenging me, darlin’.”

“I think it’s a marriage code,” Cas murmured.

————

“They’re worried about us,” Gabriel said into Sam’s hair.

Sam sighed. He hadn’t gotten the strength to move away from Gabriel yet. He entrapped Gabriel beneath him, the high from lovemaking having worn off a short while ago. Gabriel seemed fine with holding Sam’s weight underneath him.

Sam mumbled into Gabriel’s collarbone, “I could tell.”

Gabriel’s hands found their way into Sam’s hair. “It’s because we’re being secretive now.”

Sam exhaled, “well, what should we do? Tell ‘em I was being secretive because I wanted to fuck you in peace?”

“We talked about this coarse language.”

“Make love to you in peace,” Sam corrected.

“There you go. Learn how to romance a guy.”

Sam snorted. “What do you want me to do, then?”

“Give them the books.”

Sam withdrew from his cozy spot against Gabriel’s collarbone. He lifted up his head, propping himself on his elbows and looking at Gabriel. “Why would we do that?”

“If they want an answer so bad,” Gabriel said, his arms encapsulating Sam’s sides, “they should get the books. I wrote them, I’m fine with it. Are you?”

Sam chewed on his lip in thought. He heard from Dean ages ago that select family members had found and read the previous books written by Chuck. He could control who reads these books. He actually had a choice.

Sam said, “I need to think about this.”

“Okay. Think about it later. I’m not done with you yet.” Gabriel yanked him into a searing kiss, Sam humming in pleasure.

————

Gabriel’s mouth formed an O as he looked at his little brother’s garden.

Castiel wasn’t kidding when he said he had worked hard on it.

The sheer amount of various flowers in every color and grown in every strain was truly amazing. Chrysanthemums, hyacinths, lavender, daffodils, daisies, marigolds, snapdragons, forget-me-nots, jasmine, violets, tulips, lilies, poppies, roses, orchids, peonies, pansies, and carnations in every shade of the rainbow.

They were all so vibrant and beautiful and lovingly grown that Gabriel believes Cas should have been a florist. Angels had natural green thumbs, but this was clearly a talent Cas developed that surpassed mere angelic intervention. Besides, Castiel hadn’t been a seraphim in decades.

“This is,” Gabriel said, awestruck, “whoa.”

“Thank you,” Cas said, a bashful smile lighting up his features.

“Incredible,” Gabriel said, walking along the paved paths between patches of flowers. “I just make topiaries.”

Cas chuckled amusedly. “Do you really?”

“Yup. My Mona Lisa is a shrub in the shape of Soda.”

“Oh my God.” Cas laughed. 

Gabriel’s interest was suddenly drawn to a patch of baby blue forget-me-nots.

Castiel stood next to him. “My first patch. Dean’s favorite flower.”

Gabriel glanced at Cas in surprise. He, like every other angel, had intimate knowledge of nature, including flowers. He knew that forget-me-nots symbolize true love. “The old boy’s a romantic, huh?”

Cas pursed his lips, as if considering something. He paused, then divulged quietly, “I think it reminds him of my eyes. He likes my blue flowers best.”

Gabriel wanted to make fun of this whole situation so badly. But Castiel trusted him with this information, and he wasn’t one to give out facts about his husband willingly.

Gabriel let the subject settle. He walked over to his own favorite flower. “I’ve always been fond of snapdragons.” He dragged a fingertip across the side of a bright yellow flower, as if stroking its head. The petal bent with the weight of his finger, like a mouth opening and closing.

Cas’s mouth quirked upwards. “Of course you are.”

The flower symbolizing deception. What else would be Gabriel’s favorite flower?

“I always thought they held secrets beneath the bright colors,” Gabriel said quietly. “Father said he made them for me,” Castiel’s eyes widened, “because their true nature was hidden from outsiders for their own protection, like mine.”

“Until Sam.”

“Until I let Sam in.” Gabriel removed his finger from the yellow snapdragon plant. “I should grow these.”

“Take some,” Cas offered. “It’ll brighten up your house even more.”

When Gabriel returned home with multiple vases of snapdragons, Sam chose not to ask why.

————

Dean hummed a Pink Floyd song as he rocked an angel baby to sleep. He heard a stifled laugh next to him.

Holding the little boy in his arms securely, Dean turned around slowly.

Cas was biting his lip to prevent from laughing, cradling a baby girl. He mouthed, “Pink Floyd? Really?”

Dean smiled and nodded a little. 

He was never happier than when he was caring for these children with his husband by his side. Dean felt like a true parent, singing babies to sleep with a classic rock medley lullaby.

Cas set down the little girl — Tamiel — he was holding into her crib gently. Dean glanced down and realized his bundle of joy was asleep as well.

Cas walked over to Dean soundlessly, smiling as he took in the boy’s sleeping form and Dean’s soft expression. His hand found its way to Dean’s jawline. Dean leaned into the touch willingly, a moth drawn to a flame. Cas leaned forward slowly, giving Dean time to pull away.

Which he didn’t. He never would.

Cas pressed his lips against Dean’s softly. Dean felt warm from all the sensations. His lips occupied by Cas, his arms occupied by a sleeping baby, the pure happiness and sweetness making a home in his stomach.

This was contentment. Real contentment. The truest and purest form of contentment that ever existed.

Cas pulled away a moment later, Dean coming back to reality. He checked the child with concern — Maniel, his mind supplied — and saw that he was in dreamland. Dean set him in his crib, then offered Cas a sheepish smile. He kissed Cas lightly again and sent him a mental message: “Are they all asleep, darlin’?”

Cas hummed softly in answer. He sent: “You look most beautiful here, you know.”

Dean sent: “I know.”

————

Sam had never been to Heaven’s headquarters before.

He went on a tour with Dean, Cas, Balthazar, and Jack. Time flew by, and he realized that Gabriel had been separated from him for quite a while.

Dean decided to show Sam the nursery. That was where they found Gabriel.

Cradling one of the dozen children — a girl, brown hair and green eyes — in his arms while whisper-singing an Enochian lullaby.

At least that’s what Dean explained that Gabriel was singing. Dean said to Sam under his breath that he heard Cas sing this lullaby many times. Sam supposed it was the angel’s version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Sam couldn’t comprehend the sight behind the panoramic window. He could open the door, but he was rooted to the spot. Gabriel looked like he truly belonged here, with a child in his arms while he sang soothingly.

Gabriel raised his younger brothers. Sam shouldn’t be surprised Gabriel was so wonderful with children. Plus, Sam had seen him for a split second, decades ago, with an angel toddler on his hip. That angel must be fully grown by now, around here somewhere on this astral plane.

Dean realized Sam was having a devastating moment. Instead of teasing Sam, he clapped his shoulder sympathetically.

Sam remembered, with a bolt of lightning, that Dean had always craved for children of his own. Dean never said it outwardly, but the suggestion was there, like a twinge during a throbbing headache.

Dean murmured, “I’ll give you a few minutes.”   
With the swish of a door, Dean was gone.

Sam’s feet finally moved, his brain commanding them forward. He pushed open the door absentmindedly, being ambushed by the softness of the lighting and the scent of freshly washed babies.

The air smelled like sugary sweetness. The aura of an angel. The taste of Gabriel’s lips.

Gabriel looked at Sam, clearly alarmed by his entrance. He set down the sleeping baby as if he were caught stealing a purse. He wiped his hands on the back of his jeans and schooled his expression of all nervousness. He went to Sam and said quietly, “hi. Did you like the tour?”

In all their years of marriage, Sam and Gabriel never spoke of children. Soda was their child, the closest they could get to one due to their old age.

Sam matched his husband’s soft tone. “Yes. This wasn’t a part of it. What is this?”

“Where we raise and teach the children, silly.” Gabriel grasped Sam’s arm. “Let’s talk over here.”

Sam allowed himself to be guided out of the nursery and into the viewing area, where he was previously with Dean.

Gabriel said in a normal tone, “this is Heaven’s nursery. There are areas throughout the whole building where the children are raised based on their age range. This is clearly the baby section. Next door is the toddler section, and so on. There are babysitters and teachers around the clock. These angels, like I was, are taught everything.”

Sam’s eyebrows furrowed. “Wouldn’t that hurt their heads?”

“They’re alright. Their capacity for new information grows larger and larger as they grow older. Once they’re fully grown, they choose a post and work at what they’re good at. That was very important to me. They have to enjoy their work.”

“This is a nice operation,” Sam said, “but what about outliers?”

“They can do as they wish. We’re not gonna try and control them. I know what that feels like. Cassie and Bali too.”

“Who would’ve thought,” Sam said amusedly, “that Heaven’s Most Hated would be running it someday?”

Gabriel smirked. “And we brought an age of peace. They thought we would break the system, but we fixed it.”

Sam pulled Gabriel closer, an arm around his shoulder as if they were a couple on a movie date. Sam bit back a smile at how easily his body dwarfed Gabriel’s. “You can come by to see the children, you know. I can come too.”

Gabriel looked up at Sam in surprise. His eyes shined as he asked, “you want to?”

“Dean and Cas may have staked their claim,” Sam looked right into Gabriel’s eyes, “but I’ve always liked children. Despite being awkward around them.”

Gabriel stood on his tiptoes and kissed Sam quickly. When he broke away, there was a bright grin on Gabriel’s face. “Okay. I’ll teach you.”

————

“I think,” a drunken Jo slurred to Dean, “you’re afraid to sing because you’re a shitty singer.”

This may have been the alcohol talking, but Dean — for the first time — decided to take a turn on the karaoke machine in Charlie’s Heaven.

Dean took the stage, and his audience cheered in victory.

He trusted everyone in this room not to tease him too much. His husband, Sam, Gabriel, Jo, Charlie, and Kevin were his core group of compadres.

Compadres? 

God, he was pretty drunk. However much a soul projection could be drunk from Ellen’s new alcoholic concoction, anyway.

Dean materialized a stool. He sat and made a guitar appear.

“Oh my God,” Charlie hissed. “He can play guitar, Cas?!”

Cas shrugged noncommittally.

Yes, he could. Cas knew that.

“Is he gonna be good?” Jo hissed at Cas. “Have I made a mistake?”

Cas wisely didn’t answer, but Dean could sense Cas’s inward knowing grin.

Dean was about to reveal a part of himself he kept well-hidden. It was a closely guarded secret he — and Cas — literally took to the grave.

Dean lowered the microphone stand and cued up one of the few songs he could play well on the guitar.

“This is so intense,” Gabriel commented.

“Hush,” Sam said from beside him.

The song began, Kevin saying an “ooh” as the group recognized it.

Dean strummed the chords easily, and started to sing.

...And I’d give up forever to touch you, ‘cause I know that you feel me somehow. You’re the closest to Heaven that I’ll ever be, and I don’t want to go home right now. And all I can taste is this moment, and all I can breathe is your life. And sooner or later it’s over, I just don’t wanna miss you tonight…

Dean’s audience broke out of their silent stupor. He heard Jo remark quietly, “for fuck’s sake, I give up.” 

Dean didn’t let anything deter him. He used his eyelashes to hood his vision, continuing on.

...And I don’t want the world to see me, ‘cause I don’t think that they’d understand. When everything’s meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am. And you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming, or the moment of truth in your lies. When everything feels like the movies, yeah you bleed just to know you’re alive…

“Did you know about this?” Gabriel asked incredulously.

“I only remember him singing lullabies,” Sam replied. “And lullabies are easy to sing.”

Dean played the chords on autopilot, keeping his expression drawn. He shut down memories of himself singing a young Sam to sleep.

...And I don’t want the world to see me, ‘cause I don’t think that they’d understand. When everything’s meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am. And I don’t want the world to see me, ‘cause I don’t think that they’d understand. When everything’s meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am... 

“Did you know about this, Cas?” Charlie whispered to her best friend.

Dean chanced an imperceptible glance at his husband, who nodded in affirmation. Dean felt a sudden burst of affection from Cas’s end of their bond. He let it warm him like a fire.

...And I don’t want the world to see me, ‘cause I don’t think that they’d understand. When everything’s meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am. I just want you to know who I am. I just want you to know who I am. I just want you to know who I am...

Dean received a round of applause.

“You asshole,” Jo said affectionately.

Dean grinned and stepped off the stage, making his guitar and stool disappear.

“Assbutt,” Charlie coughed.

Dean plopped next to his husband. “Don’t challenge me next time,” he said pointedly.

————

Castiel made a point to visit Aphrodite, Apollo, and Artemis whenever he could.

————

Sam and Gabriel came clean to their family about why they were being secretive.

They were trying to figure out why Chuck considered them soulmates. And they were hiding the existence of Gabriel’s continuation of the Supernatural book series.

Everyone was just glad that it was nothing horrible that happened.

————

Gabriel, as John suggested, acted as a bridge of communication between Sam and John.

This allowed father and son to be on the same page where they never could have been before.

Gabriel, it seemed, made all the difference in the world.

————

Sam had been working on a secret project.

Whenever Gabriel was away, an idea plagued Sam’s mind. An idea that wouldn’t go away.

Sam locked himself inside his newly-created art studio and painted as if possessed.

After days of this behavior, — and Gabriel surprisingly none the wiser — Sam stood in front of four completed paintings. He framed them lovingly, actually proud of what he had accomplished. 

Once they were dried, Sam took one to his husband, who had returned from a visit with his brothers a short while ago.

Gabriel observed warily as Sam propped the painting on the wall across from him. As if doing a big reveal, he allowed Gabriel to examine what he had worked so hard on.

Gabriel nearly dropped his mug of tea on the floor.

As if in a trance, Gabriel set down the mug and approached the painting, kneeling to receive the whole picture.

It was a full-body portrait of Gabriel. He stood in a blue-brown background, an exact likeness staring Gabriel in the face. Portrait Gabriel even wore his favorite outfit: black jeans, a faded gray shirt, and a black leather jacket. A bronze archangel blade glimmered in Gabriel’s grip, a wedding ring also resting slyly on his finger.

Gabriel stood again abruptly, utterly dumbstruck at what to say.

Sam said nervously, “I don’t know what came over me, honestly. I have one for your brothers and Jack too. It’s just a thing that happened. I don’t know.”

Gabriel finally met Sam’s eyes. “These should go up in headquarters.”

Sam blinked. “You haven’t even seen-”

“They’re still going up,” Gabriel said non-negotiably. “If they’re all as wonderful as this,” Sam blushed, Gabriel staring up at him, “I’m doing my brethren a favor by giving them something pretty to look at.” Gabriel stood on his tiptoes and kissed Sam sweetly, Sam’s brain short-circuiting for a moment. Gabriel murmured, “I love mine. Thank you, Sam.”

At that, Sam and Gabriel found a blank wall in Heaven’s headquarters with minimal foot traffic. Without consulting his brothers, Gabriel and Sam hung up each painting side-by-side.

As they examined their handiwork, Balthazar himself walked by and halted in shock. “What the...whoa.” Balthazar walked towards his own portrait.

Knowing it would appease Balthazar, Sam made his features look noticeably younger. His green background, standard black clothing, and bronze blade within his grasp made for quite a badass picture.

Balthazar looked between the couple curiously, a smirk etched on his face. “Which of you was this?”

“Sam,” Gabriel said gruffly.

Balthazar looked at Sam with wide eyes. “I didn’t know you had a crush on me, Sam.”

Gabriel stepped in front of Sam with an intimidating glare. “Hiss hiss, bitch!”

Sam held Gabriel by the shoulders and rolled his eyes at Balthazar. “Very funny.”

Balthazar grinned. “Just wanted to rile up Gabe. Mission accomplished.”

Sam felt the tension seep from Gabriel’s shoulders. “You suck, Bali. I should vandalize your portrait.”

Balthazar clutched his heart and gasped overdramatically. “Wow. So harsh, Gabe.” He stopped playing pretend and said, “I’m gonna get Cassie and Jack over here. That okay, Sam?”

Sam shrugged. “Okay.” 

He silently hoped they didn’t criticize his artwork.

Moments later, Castiel and Jack rushed into the room and halted in their tracks upon seeing the paintings.

Jack reacted first. “Whoa!” He strode to his portrait, examining his likeness within a yellow background. Portrait Jack wore tennis shoes, jeans, a white shirt, and a bulky tan windbreaker, his usual outfit. He grinned especially bright, the motion lighting up his entire aura. Unlike the other angels, he carried no weapon. Jack tore his eyes from the painting and beamed at his audience. “This is amazing!”

“Thank Uncle Sam,” Gabriel said.

Jack’s eyes widened in awe at Sam. “You made these, Uncle Sam?!” At Sam’s nod, Jack hugged him — nearly knocking the wind out of him — and exclaimed, “this is so cool! Thank you!”

Sam held back his burgeoning emotions at being hugged by his favorite ball of sunshine. “It was no problem.”

Jack let go and went to Cas. “What do you think of yours, Dad?” He asked eagerly.

Cas had been staring at his portrait the entire time. The reappearance of the nephilim by his side broke him from his reverie. He stepped closer to the painting, as if scrutinizing every brush stroke of its existence.

Sam was quite proud for his painting of Cas. The chemical and physical makeup that encompassed Castiel was difficult to get down on a canvas. Whereas Sam focused on Gabriel’s kinder aspects for his portrait, Sam chose to highlight Cas’s warrior aspects for his painting. Thus, the expression on Cas’s face took on a pensive quality. As expected, Sam made sure Castiel wore his trademark tan trench coat, black slacks, a crisp white dress shirt, and a blue tie. The silver blade in his hand and the silver wedding ring on his finger matched well with a blue-gray background.

Cas said, “you’ve gotten quite talented at this, Sam. They’re missing something, though.”

Sam furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”

“Plaques with our names.”

Sam nodded gratefully at the suggestion. “I can do that.”

Castiel then called Dean to the scene, Sam’s older brother in awe of the paintings.

Dean said teasingly, “it’s a little weird that you painted my husband, but I’ll let it go.”

Cas snorted and rolled his eyes at Dean accordingly. “Don’t listen to him,” he said to Sam.

“I know,” Sam said warily.

After some compliments were thrown Sam’s way, — Gabriel’s eyes shining proudly — Sam got to work making simple plaques.

He hung up the plaques a few days later, when his artwork had gotten secondhand praise from nearly every worker angel in headquarters. Sam thought of carving their titles on each plaque, but he simply put each angel’s name on them.

The paintings hung on a wall in Heaven’s headquarters for ages to come.

————

Castiel didn’t expect this to happen.

Balthazar had simply asked him to teach one class to some children about nature. He had no idea how it became a regular occurrence.

Maybe it had something to do with Dean.

Castiel had taught that first class by himself, his audience composed of a dozen small children enraptured by his lesson. The excitable children asked questions and observed him with wide eyes as if he were some sort of deity.

Once Balthazar caught wind of this, he heavily encouraged Cas to make it a regular thing.

That’s how Dean eventually became involved.

The former hunter felt left out the more Cas disappeared. That lead to Cas introducing Dean to his little class, the angel children latching onto him instantly.

Dean transformed into a puddle of goo while Castiel taught, keeping the mischievous angels disciplined with a mere warning glance and also becoming enraptured with Cas’s lessons.

The children came to adore Dean’s presence, and Dean allowed more and more of his happiness to dwell in his expression.

One afternoon, Castiel announced to his dozen charges, “we’re going on a field trip today.”

A chorus of excited “yay’s” and “woo’s” dominated the room as the six boys and six girls jumped to their feet. They chattered, Cas glancing at Dean’s mushy smile before silencing the children.

The girls skipped and the boys ran upon being greeted by fresh air. Dean kept an eye on them, shooting a few “be quiet” and “stop that” commands if the children wandered too far. Cas eyed his husband amusedly as he corralled the cherubs into one spot.

They were in the middle of a nearby field, the same field once stained with the blood of werewolves and angels. Errant patches of daisies littered areas of the tall grass, false bumblebees and dragonflies buzzing off to the side.

Castiel found a nicer area and sat crisscrossed, the children mirroring his stance delicately, as if it was a skill they would be tested on. Dean sat to the right of the children, a blonde freckled girl — Janiel — closest to him. Dean pulled a face, Janiel giggling in response.

Castiel got their attention, launching into a lesson on their surroundings. The children listened intently, Dean interested as well.

These instances are some of the few times Dean let contentment overtake his face. It was a good look on him, especially due to the way the sunlight emphasized his green-gold eyes and sunburned freckles.

Cas continued the lesson, going into vivid detail on the grass and daisies and dragonflies and bees. The children soaked it up and asked intelligent questions, Cas answering them happily.

The lesson concluded an hour later, Castiel noticing an adorable scene as the other children went to the safety of the classroom.

Janiel had stayed behind, and Dean had lifted her on his hip. She was just small enough to fit there comfortably. Dean had an arm holding her up, his hand splayed protectively over her back. Janiel was whispering into Dean’s ear, hands cupped over her mouth, mirth sparkling in her eyes. Dean tipped his head a little, his lips upturned as he focused on her words. He heard Dean laugh along and murmur, “that’s lovely, sweetheart.” He whispered something back, Janiel giggling at the retort.

“What’s so funny, you two?” Cas asked, approaching them with hands on his hips.

Dean’s eyes widened at the definition the motion brought to Cas’s hips, the curve that was especially prominent due to Cas’s choice of outfit: fitted black slacks and a white dress shirt tucked into it, unbuttoned at the collar to expose a sliver of tan skin. His shirt was quite bright in the sunlight, perhaps even a tad see-through.

Castiel didn’t care.

Dean reigned in his reaction, coming back to himself. He said nonchalantly, “Janiel was very happy about today’s lesson.”

Cas smiled kindly, addressing the girl directly. “Were you now?”

Janiel bit her lip sheepishly and nodded profusely.

Unbothered by this behavior, Castiel said, “I created a fellow nature lover. That’s wonderful.” He held out his arms. “Want me to take you back to class, sweetheart?”

Janiel nodded shyly, Dean depositing her effortlessly into Cas’s arms. Castiel held her delicately, Janiel’s head nestling on his shoulder. He started to walk through the field, Dean following him with an easy smile overcoming his features.

Castiel noticed a pair of familiar faces from the sidelines, but chose not to mention that Dean’s parents had been observing them from afar. It would only scare Dean away.

————

Claire and Kaia’s Heaven was their shared home, the home where they raised their daughter Lily.

Claire hugged Dean, Castiel, and Jack fiercely upon seeing them at her door. 

She would refuse vehemently, but tears sprung up in her eyes as she saw her fathers and little brother for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Kaia was equally tearful, since Claire’s family had become her own too. 

————

“Are we really doing this again?” Claire mock protested. It fell on deaf ears, anyway.

Road tripping on Earth to look at a big ball of twine with Dean, Cas, and Jack turned out to be kind of fun. Claire hated to admit it. Now they were doing it again in Heaven.

She played her role of annoyed daughter to perfection, Jack as positive and full of sunshine as ever.

It was a wonder Jack could still remain so joyful. Claire was glad someone was the optimist in her little family unit.

Dean drove a copy of his beloved Impala — who Claire was sure Dean would marry if he didn’t love Cas with every fiber of his being — towards a supposed treasure in Heaven.

As long as it wasn’t Heaven’s largest rubber band ball or some shit, Claire was okay with this whole endeavor — which was keeping her away from Kaia.

Dean stopped the car a while later in front of an observatory. Claire caught Jack grinning upon seeing the building.

“Know what this is?” Claire asked her little brother.

“Yes,” Jack replied. “You’re gonna like this.”

The family of four got out of the car and walked down the winding path to the observatory. Claire deduced on her way over that, if observatories allowed people to see up, maybe this would allow guests to see down.

As they walked inside the building and went inside a circular room, Claire turned out to be correct. A telescope in the middle of a circle, hanging off the ceiling of a bubble-like floor window, was pointed downwards.

“Can you spy on people with this?” Claire asked incredulously.

“I wouldn’t call it spying,” Cas said with furrowed eyebrows.

“It’s spying,” Dean said.

Claire and Jack chuckled at the quick conversation their parents had with their eyes. Claire took this opportunity to climb up the ladder leading to the telescope lens.

Jack followed her, and explained, “this is how angels can keep tabs on important people that changed the course of Earth’s history.”

Claire smiled as she climbed the rungs. “Like us?”

“Like us,” Jack confirmed. “But this isn’t often used anymore, since they allowed seraphims to roam Earth more.”

“Like Cas?”

“Like Cas,” Jack replied.

“Did you all spy on me with this?”

Jack blushed in embarrassment. “They made me take them here.”

Claire snorted. “Typical.” She reached the platform hanging from the ceiling. She helped Jack up, then they walked to the end of the telescope. Before Claire could look into the lens, she asked, “can I find Alex and Patience with this?”

“Yes. Now look who’s being a weirdo.”

Claire laughed. “Okay. How do I find them?”

Jack explained how the telescope worked, Dean and Cas finally joining them on the elevated platform. The couple watched as Claire found Alex and Patience doing well with their families.

It would be a while longer until one of them joined Claire and Kaia in Heaven.

————

Claire held onto Kaia’s hand nervously. Kaia gave her a little smile.

They were about to meet their sort-of grandmother, Mary. Claire knew she shouldn’t worry about this, but her nerves thought the contrary.

It melted away when Mary greeted Dean and Cas with the nicest smile Claire had ever seen. 

Dean introduced them. “Mom, this is our daughter, Claire, and her wife, Kaia.”

Claire squeezed Kaia’s hand before shaking Mary’s hand. She wondered too late if her usual goth style was appropriate. “Hi,” she said, uncharacteristically shy. Kaia matched her shyness, making Claire feel better.

Mary invited them inside, and things went well.

————

Castiel laughed like a madman upon seeing Gabriel’s shrub in the shape of Soda.

————

Claire and Kaia met John by accident weeks later. 

Dean and Cas allowed the couple to use their secret hideaway, a fancy restaurant specifically created for a quaint date night. Mary and John stumbled into the restaurant as if not knowing about its existence.

Which they probably didn’t.

Mary was startled once she saw Claire and Kaia observing them curiously.

These were Claire’s grandparents. Dean had told her that they weren’t together, not in that way anymore, but Claire could instantly see the slight resemblances between John and his sons. She wondered what they were doing roaming around Heaven together.

But that wasn’t her business.

“Claire, Kaia,” Mary said upon recovering, “how are you both?”

“Good,” Claire said. “And you?”

“Good,” Mary replied. She realized John was still there, and said, “John, this is Dean and Cas’s daughter, Claire,” Mary motioned to Claire, “and her wife, Kaia.”

John, to his credit, said his nice-to-meet-you’s kindly.

Claire had heard from Dean that John was changing his tune. Dean, it turned out, was right.

They chatted amicably for a moment. Then, Mary and John took their leave.

“That actually,” Kaia said, “wasn’t mortifying.”

Claire giggled. “It wasn’t.”

————

Alex and Patience died on the same day hundreds of miles away from each other.

It was a strange and rare coincidence, perhaps even an anomaly. But everyone chose not to look into such an occurrence. They were glad the final members of the bunker clan and wayward sisters were finally all together.

————

“Since Alex and Patience came here on the same day,” Balthazar said, “both Cassie and Jack win the bet.”

Castiel and Jack grinned victoriously as they received their cash.

————

“The wayward sisters,” Dean explained to Mary and John, “is the name they gave themselves.” He motioned to Claire, Kaia, Alex, and Patience, laughing at a secret conversation from afar. “It symbolizes the sisterhood they’ve formed because of the supernatural tragedies that ruined their original lives.” Dean added, “Jody and Donna are their group moms, keeping tabs on them.”

“They kicked ass,” Jo said from across the table.

“I saw Claire once clear out a room of vampires armed with only a flamethrower,” Charlie added. Then, Jo and Charlie returned to their conversation.

“That’s my girl,” Dean said proudly.

“You taught her to hunt?” Mary asked.

“She mostly taught herself, but I helped where I could,” Dean said. “I didn’t want to get her into this life, but she was insistent. And hey,” he shrugged, “she saved lots of kids who could’ve ended up dead. All of them did.”

Mary and John looked at the wayward sisters with a different lens.

————

“I’ve made a decision,” Sam declared upon stepping into the mansion backyard.

Gabriel finished trimming a shrub in the shape of a cube. He climbed off his ladder and rested the shears on the ground. He brushed his clothes off from the dirt and said playfully, “you sure took your time.”

Sam acknowledged the shrub. “Nice cube. Gonna make a sphere next?”

Gabriel snorted from false laughter. “No. That’s lame. There’s no finesse to it. Now,” Gabriel squinted his eyes from the sunlight, “are we gonna give them the books?”

“I consulted with Dean and Cas, and they’re secure enough to allow prying eyes to judge them in these books. So, why shouldn’t I be?”

Gabriel’s mouth quirked upwards. “That’s big of you. I can’t believe you actually listened to your brother’s wisdom for once.”

“I listen to him!”

Gabriel chuckled. “Of course you do.”

————

“I call Furiosa!” Charlie exclaimed.

The group cued up the movie cube, deciding to reenact Mad Max Fury Road.

“That makes me Max, then?” Cas asked.

“That would be cool,” Charlie said. 

They all chose their roles, leaving a few empty. With Castiel as Max and Charlie as Furiosa, that left the women to play the villain’s wives. Jo chose to be the Splendid Angharad, Patience was Toast the Knowing, Alex was Capable, Kaia was Cheedo the Fragile, and Claire was The Dag.

It was all too coincidental to not do anything about it. They did the movie justice, having an amazing time while doing so.

————

The first successful spin in the movie cube with friends resulted in Castiel inviting Kevin and Charlie.

Since Castiel didn’t want to play the lead role, he let Kevin play Luke Skywalker. Charlie was Princess Leia, and Castiel was Han Solo.

The first Star Wars movie was played to perfection.

————

“Whoa,” Dean said, in awe of the sprawling expanse of flowers that his backyard has become.

He hadn’t been in Cas’s garden for quite a while. They had been so busy exploring that Dean either stayed inside the cabin or went to the docks.

Cas finally noticed Dean standing there, and chuckled at his agape mouth. “You like it?”

Dean was truly flabbergasted by the beauty of it all. The sheer amount of different flowers in every possible shade was incredible. “I…I have no words.” Dean strode towards Cas, running his fingers over petals lightly. “These are all so beautiful. You have a real talent for this.”

“Thank you,” Cas said in a hushed tone. “That means a lot.”

Dean abruptly faced Cas and eased him into a kiss. When he pulled away, Dean was struck by the halo outlining Cas’s face. 

In times like these, Dean forgot his husband had ever stopped being an angel.

Dean blushed profusely. “Teach me about all these.”

Cas looked at the red, pink, and white flowers surrounding them. “A-All of them?”

Dean took Cas’s hands in his own. “Every single flower. Teach me.”

“That might take hours.”

Dean smiled carelessly. “It could take days and I wouldn’t give a lick. We have an eternity.”

“O-okay,” Cas said. “Um. This one here,” he strode to his left, one hand in Dean’s, towards a baby pink flower, “is a peony. This flower has always fascinated me because it has many different meanings based on who they’re given to and for what reason. For example,” Cas ran his index finger across a petal, “someone gifting these to their chosen partner symbolizes bashfulness. A romantic couple receiving these represents, in Asian culture, good fortune and prosperity. A bouquet of peonies are also said to bring especially good luck,” Cas looked to Dean, “to the happiest of married couples.”

“I should’ve given these to you on our first diner date,” Dean murmured. “Bashfulness.”

Cas nudged Dean playfully. He moved to the next patch. “Now these symbolize…”

————

Charlie, Jo, Claire, Kaia, Alex, and Patience had never been summoned before.

The group of women sat on a plush carpet in one of Sam and Gabriel’s living rooms. 

Once the couple gathered them there, Gabriel said, “we have a gift for you.”

“How intriguing,” Charlie remarked.

“You better not be overselling this,” Claire said.

“I’m not,” Gabriel promised. “Get them, Sam.”

Sam disappeared, then reappeared a few beats later carrying a giant cardboard box.

“It’s not even wrapped,” Jo whined good-naturedly.

Sam set down the box and opened the flaps. “Mazel tov.”

The women crawled over and peered into the box.

Charlie gasped loudly. “Oh my God.”

“Holy shit,” Alex uttered.

“There’s more of them,” Patience said incredulously.

Jo observed the book spines and looked up at Gabriel with wide eyes. “You...how?!”

Gabriel answered the pairs of eyes, “let’s just say I had visions, and it’s what God wanted. Leave it at that.”

“Kaia,” Claire said, plucking out the first book, — titled ‘Exile on Main Street’ — “I’m sorry in advance, but I’m gonna be preoccupied for a while.”

“I’ll join you,” Kaia said softly.

Claire grinned. “You really do love me.”

“Shut up.”

Claire chuckled and said, “thanks for keeping the fan club alive, Gabriel.”

“You’re welcome,” Gabriel said graciously. “Have a good time.”

————

“There’s so many Destiel moments,” Alex mused. “Oh my God.”

“I’m fangirling inside!” Charlie exclaimed.

The women had been poring over Gabriel’s books for days. It had become an insatiable obsession. They lived and breathed these books.

“All the pain,” Patience said.

“With all the romantic reprieves!” Jo exclaimed.

“It’s equally painful and beautiful,” Claire stated.

“They were so boneheaded too,” Jo commented.

“Men,” Alex explained.

“Yeah,” Charlie agreed. “I mean, Dean Winchester actually kept Cas’s trench coat in his car for fucking months, and he’s like ‘nah, we’re just friends.’ What?!”

“And Cas was clearly protecting him when he left Dean with that girl and her son after Sam died,” Patience added. “But Dean didn’t see that either.”

“These assbutts,” Jo said, borrowing Cas’s — and what was now the family’s — favorite word, “were so caught up in protecting each other they never thought to ask themselves ‘why am I so adamant on protecting this guy? Is this more than friendship?’”

The women laughed.

“I know, right? Being a fangirl sucks,” Charlie remarked.

“We should ask Dean more about, like, what points they got together and stuff,” Alex suggested.

“Do you really think he’ll go for that?” Kaia asked. “They spent all this time keeping their relationship a secret. I know that Dean talked more about it when he was older to impart wisdom, but I don’t know about now.”

The women stared at Kaia like she’d grown an extra head.

“I don’t think you’ve ever,” Claire said, amazed, “joined in on our discussions regarding this book series before. Whoa.”

“She is a woman of few words,” Charlie declared, “but her words are always food for thought.”

There were a few beats of silence.

“We won’t know until we try,” Patience said. “If Dean doesn’t answer, he doesn’t answer.”

“I suppose we can try,” Kaia said.

————

They posed their questions to Dean after they finished reading every book. 

Dean, surprisingly, agreed to humor them.

“When did you get together?” Jo asked. “I just know between books, it’s revealed you kissed, but there’s no more details.”

Dean pointed to the books titled ‘Hunteri Heroici’ and ‘Citizen Fang.’ He replied, “between these two.”

“Cas told me once in confidence,” Charlie divulged, “that you were on and off for a while before taking a big break. When was that?”

“We were on and off between,” Dean pointed to ‘Torn and Frayed’ and to ‘First Born,’ then said, “that period of time. And we took a break from there,” Dean pointed to ‘Brother’s Keeper,’ and said, “to there. A big gap. In this book, when the Darkness rises at the end,” Dean explained, “that actually was weeks after my recovery from the Mark.”

“Really?” Alex prompted.

Dean kept talking, to the women’s delight. “That’s when Cas and I got back together for good. Then, we got married and uh, shit hit the fan shortly after that.”

“That makes sense now,” Charlie said. “The books kept mentioning hiding a ring in your pocket.”

Dean chose not to comment. The women dismissed him from any further questions.

————

Castiel was assaulted by a troop of women barging into the cabin.

He was glad Dean was otherwise occupied.

The wayward sisters, Charlie, and Jo all formed a circle around Cas as he baked a pie in the kitchen.

Cas raised an eyebrow at the women’s crossed arms. “What?”

“Why didn’t you tell us,” Charlie asked shrilly, “that you had a girlfriend?!”

Castiel winced at the mention of Meg. “Why do you care?”

“Because that’s what friends tell friends!”

Cas sighed, tapping on the kitchen counter. “It was hardly even anything.”

“These books beg to differ,” Jo said.

Cas said truthfully, “I didn’t mean as much to her as she meant to me. Okay?”

Castiel knew Meg cared for him deeply, but that was the extent of it. The games they played and their diminished chemistry weren’t important. They had always been better as affectionate friends.

His statement seemed to strike a cord to the women around him. They backed down, frowning, their hands fidgeting at their sides.

“I know what that feels like,” Alex murmured quietly.

“Me too,” Patience said bitterly.

“Me three,” Charlie said somberly. “That’s a bummer, Cas. Sorry.”

“It wasn’t all bad,” Cas said. “It got Dean jealous.”

“Mission accomplished, I guess,” Charlie said.

“It wasn’t my intention for that to happen,” Castiel shrugged, “but whatever.”

“So jealousy has something to attribute to making Destiel happen,” Jo said.

Cas rolled his eyes. “I don’t like that name. But yes. Dean even waited the proper mourning time before making a move.”

“What a gentleman,” Kaia said sarcastically.

Castiel smiled wryly. “I guess.” He shrugged again.

Dean chose that moment to enter the cabin from the backyard. He liked to take walks around the grounds alone every once in a while to clear his head.

He was affronted by the new arrivals. “Sup, ladies?” Dean read the room, then narrowed his eyes. “What did they do to you, Cas?”

“Nothing,” Castiel replied gruffly.

Dean eyed Cas critically. He crossed his arms and looked at the women. “Meg, huh?”

Cas blinked. Dean was far too adept at deciphering Castiel’s expressions.

Charlie opened and closed her mouth.

Dean caught it, and kept his demeanor neutral. “I’m going to answer everything right now before you can even ask. I actually liked Meg. We’re quite similar. Cas has a type.” Castiel stomped away any heat that could rise to his cheeks. “I don’t blame her at all for pursuing Cas. She had more balls than I did.” The women snorted out chuckles. “Yes, she died for me. Because she understood we shared a,” Dean hesitated, “profound bond.” The women held back fangirl screeches, Castiel now fully flushed at the use of his term. “Meg cared about Cas, but that was all. Did they make me jealous?” Dean smiled. “You fuckin’ bet. Now did I cover everything?”

The women nodded slowly, feeling bad for bringing up the subject.

“Great.” Dean went to Cas’s side, a curious expression replacing his honest one. “What are you making?”

“Rhubarb pie,” Cas murmured.

The women gasped, asking to help pitch in with renewed vigor. The atmosphere became lighter, friendlier. Castiel and Dean happily let the seamless change overtake conversation.

————

Sam was interrupted from reading by Gabriel plopping next to him, jostling them both.

Sam shot his husband a look. He took note of the long-awaited return of Gabriel’s pun shirts. This tee had a graphic of a hippo in the middle of a gaggle of otters. The pun read, “I’m not like the otters.” 

Sam rolled his eyes until they reached the back of his head.

Gabriel’s mouth quirked upwards. “Whatcha reading, good lookin’?”

A heated blush rose on Sam’s cheeks. He moved to shut the book abruptly, but Gabriel pried it from Sam’s grip.

“Hey!”

Gabriel stood up, pacing and raising an eyebrow at the cover. “Pride and Prejudice?” He giggled. “Really?”

“Don’t start,” Sam cautioned.

“Cassie loves this book,” Gabriel said considerately. 

“He read it a lot, yeah,” Sam said hesitantly. “It got me curious.”

Gabriel scanned the pages Sam was on, his skin tone paling a shade.

Sam stood up in concern. “What?”

“Nothing.” Gabriel cleared his throat, materializing a bookmark and shutting the book.

Sam snatched the book back and opened it again. 

Something had caught Gabriel’s attention.

Sam scanned the pages, catching Gabriel’s worried expression across from him. 

Then, he found it.

Sam read the quote aloud: “I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve.”

He closed the book, casting it aside. He tilted Gabriel’s downward expression upwards. Sam murmured, “you deserve me. I’ll keep telling you until it goes through your thick dead skull.”

Gabriel’s eyes pierced through his. “Now you gotta deal with my insecure immortal soul. How does that make you feel?”

“Fortunate,” Sam replied honestly.

Gabriel chose not to question him where he normally would have to no end.

They were perfectly imperfect soulmates. Those questions were unnecessary. Gabriel already knew Sam’s answers by heart.

Gabriel stood on his tiptoes. “I am happy,” he whispered, as if it were a secret. He ran his fingers over Sam’s stubble. “Really happy.”

“Me too,” Sam whispered back. 

Gabriel leaned an extra inch upwards and pressed their lips together softly.

————

Castiel was reading ‘Pride and Prejudice’ for the hundredth time when Dean interrupted him.

Dean rolled onto the porch swing he had constructed for Castiel ages ago, making the beams sway and creak. Paying it no mind, Dean grinned beside Cas. “Hey, darlin’. How are ya?”

Dean’s cheeriness threw Castiel off. “Okay…”

“The sun is shining. The birds are singing.” Dean exhaled. “It’s lovely out here.”

“No wonder Persephone latched onto you,” Cas mused.

Dean hummed in agreement. “Darlin’,” his expression grew curious, “why have you read Pride and Prejudice dozens of times?”

Castiel studied the prominent freckles dotting Dean’s cheeks and nose and forehead. “Because I like it.”

“Is it really that good?”

Cas caught snippets of gold within Dean’s green irises. “I suppose I like it because,” Cas exhaled and launched into a explanation, “the way people would tactfully speak with each other back in those times reminds me of how I was taught to communicate. I also,” he admitted, his cheeks turning pink, “am a sucker for unconventional love stories. And this is quite a good one.”

Dean’s tone transformed into something teasing. “Of course you are. You’re part of one such story.” He directed his attention to the set of pages Castiel was on. Something caught his interest, his index finger reaching up and pressing against a sentence.

Cas’s entire body heated up.

Dean read aloud: “I cannot fix on the hour, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”

Castiel shut the book abruptly, casting it away. He was positively on fire.

Dean looked pleased with himself. “Your favorite line, I presume?”

Castiel nodded in affirmation.

Dean tilted Cas’s head to the side. He tangled their legs together on the porch swing. Cas met Dean’s eyes tentatively. “I feel the same way.”

“Yeah?”

Dean moved forward as much as he was able. His eyes flicked to Cas’s lips. “Yes.”

Castiel pressed their lips together, their embrace soon becoming a full-on makeout session.

“Goddammit, guys!”

Both of them pulled away, eyeing Balthazar standing above them critically.

“What, Mom?” Castiel asked.

Dean stifled laughs, hiding his face in his hands, a blush forming of its own accord. Cas refused to be ashamed in the slightest.

Balthazar huffed. “I should make your fan club follow me around. Then you’ll be afraid to kiss for the rest of your eternal lives.”

“That would be rude,” Cas said. “I would make you suffer if you did such a thing.”

Balthazar rolled his eyes. “I just wanted to check in. But obviously you wanna continue making out, so I’ll see you later.”

“Okay,” Cas waved. “See ya.”

Balthazar snorted and flew away.

Dean finally removed his hands from his face, giggling like an idiot. “Oh, darlin’. This has to stop happening.”

“I think it should happen more often, actually,” Castiel said boldly.

Dean blushed harder. “We can make it look like accidents.”

Cas nodded. “Let’s put our marriage out there. Really put it out there.”

Dean, usually the more shy one in the relationship, actually agreed.

From then on, they showed more affection towards one another. Lingering touches. Pats on shoulders and backs. Hand holds. Teasing remarks. Long looks. Wider smiles. And, occasionally, a quick kiss to get their fan club to screech.

They had nothing to hide anymore. No secrets to keep, now that they were in Heaven.

Their family even remarked how happy they looked, now that they allowed themselves to show their love for one another more openly than they ever have.

Like copiers, Sam and Gabriel did something similar. They were always more affectionate in public, but they amped it up a notch.

Dean and Castiel were too content to gripe with them.

————

Dean couldn’t recall what made his family decide to have picnics. But they happened, and they were genuinely enjoyed by every member of the family.

Things had finally settled in Heaven. The bunker clan was truly content once again.

Dean surveyed the people sitting around the large picnic table, the people he adored and called his makeshift family for decades.

Sam was trying to lecture the family on the importance eating healthy despite being dead, but it fell on deaf ears. Gabriel forced Sam to be quiet by grasping his arm, then muttering some joke or another across the table. Jo and Charlie heard whatever the joke was, and they emitted matching giggles. Jody and Donna were chatting with Mary and Ellen, who were receptive to whatever they were saying. Claire and Kaia whispered to each other, most likely holding hands under the table. Alex and Patience spoke with Jack in murmurs, Balthazar petting Soda beside them. Kevin spoke quietly to Cas beside Dean. Bobby and John had a conversation nearby. 

This was Dean’s family, having a peaceful picnic outside, finally happy together.

Dean glanced to his right, observing his husband’s strong jawline and handsome profile. Cas ended his conversation with Kevin, his ocean blue eyes examining Dean. Cas saw Dean’s easy smile and smiled softly back.

Dean reached for Cas’s hand out of instinct. Cas held their hands between their seats. Dean scooted closer imperceptibly, Cas doing the same until their thighs touched. Dean rested their clasped hands between their thighs, a perfect spot to meet in the middle. Dean placed his opposite hand atop their joined hands, their wedding rings glistening in the sunlight. 

Dean glanced back up at Cas’s soft expression, squeezed Cas’s hand, and felt nirvana.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. This has been insane.
> 
> Joining AO3 was a New Year’s Resolution to myself. I wanted to focus on perfecting my writing (in between taking college classes). Writing the first work in this series was incredibly cathartic for me. Before I knew it, more and more ideas flooded into my brain. I used this series to live out my fantasy on how Supernatural should progress and how it eventually should end. The original plan was ten works, but my ideas grew and grew the more I wrote. I resurrected my favorite characters, (although I couldn’t fit them all into this story) then made Dreamhunter and Sabriel happen. (I always thought they were adorable pairings, but I fell in love with them the more I researched and developed their characters.) This entire series ran away from me, but I loved every second of it. The plan became to end the series at thirty works. I had a perfect wrap-up, the perfect way to end my ideal Supernatural saga. 
> 
> Here’s where you all come in.
> 
> I want to personally thank each and every person who has read my series. I want to thank all the people who dedicated months of their lives to follow my series. I want to thank everyone who discovered my works along the way. I want to thank everyone who left kudos, took the time to write wonderful comments, and leave suggestions to fuel my writing. You’re all amazing. Watching my hit count rise, watching my kudos increase, and watching my inbox ping with a new message made my bad days brighter. I’m so glad you all enjoyed this series. Your encouraging comments and awesome suggestions extended my thirty-work plan into forty works. That was all you! I took your suggestions and added them to this final arc. Thank you all for inspiring me to go even further than what I imagined!
> 
> Now, regarding the ending...I’m not very skilled at writing endings. But my wellspring of insane ideas finally ran out, and this story had to reach a conclusion. (I can’t go on forever with this series, unfortunately, even though I want to.) This may not have ended with a nice neat bow wrapped around it, but I hope this encourages you all and inspires you the way it did for me. 
> 
> The love that this series got inspired me to write more Supernatural fanfics. Yes, more Destiel, Sabriel, and Dreamhunter fanfiction will be arriving as soon as next week. Look out for them if you’re interested. 
> 
> With that, I want to thank you all again for welcoming me so warmly into the AO3 community. This experience has meant the world to me.
> 
> ~Toomanyfandoms99


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